Inflatable liferafts enclosed in self-opening containers are well known and are used as mandatory life-saving equipment throughout the world on almost any commercial ship and vessel.
The term “liferaft” in this application has the meaning “inflatable, lifesaving equipment”, such as a liferaft, platform and dinghy.
The liferaft is typically inflated with inflation gas from a gas cylinder. The gas cylinder is attached to the liferaft, and the gas is distributed from the cylinder into the inflatable chambers. Depending on the type and size of the liferaft, there will be one or more gas cylinders connected to the liferaft. Furthermore, the gas from one cylinder can be distributed to one or more inflation inlets on the liferaft.
Chapter III of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) prescribes that certain types of vessels must carry floatable liferafts on board. The force required for towing these floatable liferafts at a speed of 2 and 3 knots, respectively, must be determined testing and be stated on the floatable liferaft certificate. The latter requirement results from the floatable liferafts having to be towable from a sinking vessel by means of the MOB/FRC boats of the vessel or by the lifeboats. This means that the authority approving the evacuation equipment of the vessel must ensure that the lifeboats are able to exhibit the force required to tow the biggest floatable liferaft on the vessel. Especially in the case of large floatable liferafts, a high force is required, meaning that the MOB/FRC boats must be designed with large engine powers to ensure compliance with the requirements. Since there is an increased need for larger floatable liferafts to match vessels continuously increasing in passenger capabilities, such as cruise ships and large ferry boats, floatable liferafts may advantageously be increased in size. However, when known non-rigid vessels are increased in size to a certain dimension, they become practically impossible to move through the water with sufficient speeds due to extremely high drag forces from the water.
Hence, there is a need for an inflatable floatable liferaft which meets all the above statutory requirements as well as other requirements.